There's something different from Windows Explorer?

For those of you that do not already know it, you don't necessarily have to use your Windows explorer to manage your files/folders. There are indeed other good alternatives out there. Yes you might be comfortable with Explorer, it might serve you well enough for what you're doing, but maybe it's because you're afraid of a little change. Could that be part of it? Total Commander is definitely a change from the norm, but sometimes change is good.

But it's so different, how will I cope?

This isn't your typical file manager. After the install (a whole 2 Mb), T.C. opens up to your configuration menu. This is to ensure that it's all set up according to your preferences before it starts with its own default. I like this because right off the bat, it lets you choose what you want and how you want it. It lets you configure the display type, font, color, operations, language, custom columns… etc.

I'd have to say that this program is geared more toward the power user, but that's not saying it's only meant for them. The GUI is something of a shock at first, that's why it's best to look over the manual before stepping foot in the domain of Total Commander. The interface is the biggest difference since it gives you two separate window panes. This definitely makes it easier to file swap and get a better overall look at your whole system.

The main complaints that I hear about T.C. is with new users who don't like the way it looks. Yes, it's packed with information, but once you learn how to use it properly, there should be no reason why you wouldn't want it on your machine. Give it the same learning curve you gave Windows Explorer and it'll definitely pay you back twice fold.

I didn't really know what all the quick shortcut buttons were so I started experimenting and I found one of the cooler options that Total Commander has. It's a little button called 'tree.' This creates a folder directory of the whole drive that you've selected. I thought that this was incredible for avid file managers who need to get a complete view of their systems (or if you just simply forgot where something is, you use your 'tree' function, then a quick search function and you're automatically there).

Total Commander has plug-in support for packers (archivers), file systems (disks inaccessible by windows, ex. Linux file systems), listers (image, database, spreadsheet formats) and content (mp3 tags, image attributes, etc.).

For the power users, prepare to enjoy your shortcut heaven. You can specify and create any keyboard shortcut you desire in the options menu. Creating hotkeys can help you save time over the long haul.

Although T.C. prefers to do everything internally (compressing/decompressing), you can specify it so that it uses other programs for these operations. This was one thing that was a little confusing, the setup process for choosing outside packers seemed a bit confusing at the beginning. I wish they make this a little simpler for some of the inexperienced users.

The Good

You've got much faster loading times and a more intuitive way to look at your system. Total Commander makes file managing more intuitive than what's been previously offered. You have built in plug-ins and packers, an improved interface, and an overall more effective way to file manage.

The Bad

For most of the new users trying out this program can seem like a daunting task. The more I use it, the more I want to say that power users are the ones who will truly benefit from having Total Commander. It was a bit confusing when trying to setup outside compression tools.

The Truth

I wish that more people would give Total Commander a chance at proving itself as a file manager. It's without a doubt an outstanding file manager that's worth your time. It has enough plug-ins to make the pickiest user happy. It's very adaptable to individual user needs and has better overall speed. If you need a program to go through the thousands of files you have, sort them by date/name/whatever, invert them and reapply any setting you might want (and do it faster than what you're used to), this is the program for you.

Check out the screenshots below.